Among the natives of Burnett, Mary and Dawson rivers, the common bat, deering, was the friend of all the men, while a small owl or night hawk, boorookapkap, was the friend of the women. T. Petrie reports that the blacks of Brisbane river believe that the bat, there called billing, made all their menfolk, and that the wamankan, or night hawk, made the women. In 1834, Rev L. E. Threlkeld reported that the tribe at Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, had a belief that a certain small bird was the first maker of women, and that the bat was venerated on the same grounds by the men. J. Dawson in 1881, describing the customs and beliefs of the Aborigines of western Victoria, states that the common bat belongs to the men, and the fern owl to the women (Mathews 1910, p. 47). Mathews, R. H. (1910). "Die Bundandaba-Zeremonie in Queensland' (The Bundandaba Ceremony of Initiation in Queensland)". Mitteilungen der Anthropologischen Gesellschaft in Wien. 40: 44–47 – via press-files.anu.edu.au.
"The original name of Brisbane can be traced back to just two phonetic versions of the one name." The transcription variations range from Makandschin, Megandsin (exonym) Miantjun,Mientjin., Magoo-jin,Magandjin(from magan, tulipwood). The suggestion that it refers to a spike (migan) would allow various meanings such as "the shape of the point, ground being dug up, and weaponry". The (d)jin suffix marks a plural (of "place, district, river".) (Charlton 2023) Charlton, Gaja Kerry (Winter 2023). "Makunschan, Meeanjan, Miganchan, Meanjan, Magandjin". Meanjin.
